Fishing Reports by Captain Tom Mattusch
About The Author: Captain
Company: Huli Cat Sportfishing
Area Reporting: Central California, San Francisco Bay area
Bio: Tom Mattusch is currently the owner/operator of the Huli Cat, a 53 foot charter boat operating out of Pillar Point Harbor and has fished the West Coast since 1967. Tom holds positions on the Salmon Stamp Committee for California, the California Department of Fish and Game License Agent Advisory Committee and NOAA's California Sportfishing Action Team. He's an IGFA Certified Captain. In an effort to contribute to research, Tom works with NOAA's PFEL tagging chinook salmon. He also worked with NOAA's Santa Cruz field office gathering stomachs and beaks of Humboldt squid. He recently completed a study with the Point Reyes Bird Observatory collecting lingcod, salmon and halibut stomachs and is currently involved in a study with Scripps to gather albacore stomachs. Tom holds Board of Director positions with the Golden Gate Fishermens Association, Coastside Fishing Club and Fishery Enhancement and Research Foundation. He can be heard on four radio stations giving fish reports or discussing fishing politics. He has worked closely with the Recreational Fishing Alliance, PCFFA, the Half Moon Bay Fishermans Marketing Association, United Anglers of Southern California and United Anglers. Tom ran the first trip out of Half Moon Bay to take anglers to catch Humboldt squid and the first white shark viewing trip to the Farallon Islands. He is the first charter boat Captain out of Half Moon Bay to get certified to marry people and has married people on the Huli Cat. Tom ran the first albacore trip out of Half Moon Bay to demonstrate the albacore were again reachable by boat off the Central California coast in the mid 1990's. Tom held a seat on the California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative as a Central Coast Regional Stakeholder group Member.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] Huli Cat made a test run out for Humboldt squid. Departure time was Midnight. We caught squid and brought some back alive.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] 8 limits of rockcod for 8 anglers. Slight southerly breeze. Fishing was a little slow and we did get limits.
[San Francisco,CA] Bite at the Farallons was slow today. Main purpose of the trip was whale watching. We saw some good birds as well.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] 9 Anglers fished inside the Marine Reserve as part of the MLPA Baseline establishment studies for catch and release. Good fishing. Good weather.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] Collaborative research to establish baseline for marine reserve. Set traps for rockfish in shallow water. Caught fish, crabs and starfish.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] 15 limits of rockcod, 9 ingcod, 1 salmon. Weather was better than forecast, cool and comfortable. Still some leftover swell from offshore winds.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] 15 limits of rockcod and 6 lingcod. Three rocks, San Gregorio and Martins Beach. Soem oeftover swell from the outside.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] 16 imits of rockfish with 2 lingcod. Travel time was short, wind was very moderate. Swell was very managable.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] Huli Cat fished the Three Rocks Area. 13 limits of rockcod and 3 lingcod. Wind was down the the swell was still quite noticeable.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] Huli Cat fished the Three Rocks area, past Martins to San Gregorio. Five limits of rockfish. Fishing was on the slow side.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] Ran out to the Farallon Islands for Rockfishing. Weather was absolutely perfect, little to no swell or wind. Visibility was excellent, whales, bait and birds all over.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] Rockfish limits with lingocd bonus in the Three Rocks area. Wind was only on the otuside. Water is warming up.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] June 30 is the end of Dungeness crab season, pulled the pots. Excellent weather, little wind made for easy pot pulling. Rockfished after crabbing.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] Fished the Farallon Islands for rockcod. Huli Cat fished west of the Pimple. 3/4 limits plus lingcod.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] Huli Cat went out with 6 people for some late season Dungness crab and sand dab fishing. Weather was superb, hardly even a breat of wind. Limits of Dungeness and Sanddabs enough for a meal.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] Huli Cat fished below Pigeon Point for rockfish, about 20 miles frm Pillar Point Harbor. After trying for rockfish, Huli Cat ran up to its crab gear to get crab for interested anglers.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] 80 Dungeness and 10 Rockcrab, killer whales sited, grey whale out of Half Moon Bay, CA
[Half Moon Bay,CA] 16 limits of rockfish and 4 lingcod. Rough to start, better as the day progressed. Fog came in and the winds subsided.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] 14 Alabacore, 1 Yellowtail, 1 Spanish Mackerel
[Half Moon Bay,CA] 3 anglers got 1 a rod. Limis of crab for anglers and crew. Incredible whale show in between bites.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] 5 limits of salmon to 25 pounds. Fished outside the Deep Reef, 10 miles from Half Moon Bay. Trolled Anchovy and used some lures.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] 5 chinook salmon to 26 pounds. 7 limits of Dungeness Crab. A handfull of Coonstripe Shrimp for a bonus
[Half Moon Bay,CA] 12 Limits of Dungeness crab. Limits of rockfish consisting of yellow tail rockfish, blues, lots of coppers, some nice vermillions and a few boccaccio.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] Limits of rockcod for 9 anglers. Limtis of Dungeness crab for 9 anglers.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] 12 anglers took 7 lingcod. Numerous big reds were taken by bar fishermen. Other rockfish were also caught at various depths.
[San Francisco,CA] 7 limits of Dungeness crab. 1 salmon. Swell was bigger but still definitely fishable
[San Francisco,CA] 14 limits of Dungness crab. 18 Coon Stripe Shrimp. No salmon today.
[San Francisco,CA] 1 Salmon for 4 anglers and 24 Dungeness crab. Crab were 9 milies west of HMB, salmon was 11 miles west of HMB. Water was sloppy in the morning, calmed down for the afternoon.
[San Francisco,CA] 18 limits of Dungeness Crab. Crab went well. Salmon continues to be a little on the slow side
[San Francisco,CA] 4 salmon and 55 Dungeness crabs. Weather started out great, then got a little snotty.
[San Francisco,CA] 4 salmon to 12 pounds for 6 anglers trolling bait and using lures off Half Moon Bay
[San Francisco,CA] Limits of crab for 5 passengers with 20 to 40 sanddabs per person.
[Half Moon Bay,CA] Limits of crab for 10 passengers plus a few for the crew plus some Coonstripe Shrimp.
[Montara,CA] Limits if Dungeness crab and kingfish, 12 sanddabs
[San Francisco,CA] 8 limits of crab and 20 sanddabs for 6 anglers and 2 crew.